SCS proposes THERMOS, an industrial research programme to scale and accelerate its unique Thermal History Coating (THC) technology, addressing a rapidly growing market need for high‐resolution, rapid‐turnaround temperature mapping in engine development. The programme boasts an expert consortium including Monitor Coatings and the University of Nottingham. Over the past five years, SCS has secured substantial industrial contracts across aerospace, power generation and automotive sectors, demonstrating strong global pull for its patented, data‐rich thermal mapping. As propulsion systems push firing temperatures (with an increase of 50°C translating to ~$7billion in CO₂ emission reduction), engine OEMs are adopting new materials, complex thermal models and additive‐manufactured designs to meet NetZero targets. These innovations, and emerging alternative fuels (e.g., hydrogen), demand high‐throughput temperature data, a requirement unmet by legacy methods. Competing technologies provide only point data (at high cost; thermal crystals) or data at only discrete temperatures (thermal paints) leaving large temperature gaps. Industry reports that the stagnant 6-12 month delivery timelines cannot keep up with accelerated delivery cycles. Conversely, the SCS technology relies on robust memory materials, deposited on component surfaces, then probed post-operation through an automated robotic instrument and converted into temperature via a calibration. The output delivers fully digitised, high-resolution data across a mission-critical component surface. THERMOS aims to optimise the proven THC process - materials, instrumentation and data analytics - to reduce delivery time while maintaining ±20 °C accuracy, scaling throughput ten‐fold to \>350 components per annum for major aerospace customers. With SCS projects rising from ~25 in 2022 to an estimated ~300 in 2025, the current procedure relies on impractical strategies at scale as they require bespoke troubleshooting per project. By developing data-driven repeatable coating materials, optical instrumentation and advanced analytics pipelines, THERMOS will transform THC delivery into a repeatable, high‐volume service. These enhanced sub-technologies will reach TRL6 by the end of the project. Building on proven NATEP/InnovateUK programmes and leveraging a multidisciplinary research team and supplier network, THERMOS will exercise the full supply chain to validate the enhanced system in industrial end-user test vehicles. Demonstration trials will showcase delivery timelines from ~9 months to under four weeks. By addressing a critical bottleneck in engine development, THERMOS will enable OEMs to iterate component designs faster, reduce assembly/disassembly costs by $1--2 million per test, and accelerate market entry of next‐generation turbomachinery. The programme will ensure continued SCS growth, underpinning the goals of driving industrial competitiveness and net‐zero innovation.

Sensor Coating Systems Ltd (SCS) are developing an innovative technology for measuring temperatures in harsh industrial applications. This is a unique thermal mapping technology for high value markets such as power generation and aerospace industries. The technology is based on a smart-memory material that has been developed by SCS and it is applied as a paint or a coating on the surface of the components to be measured. The coated components are then used in standard operating conditions where they exposed to high temperatures. After the process, once the components have cool down, they are interrogated with a laser-probe instrument also developed and protected by SCS (patent pending). From the luminescence properties of the material and by performing a sophisticated calibration method, the past maximum temperature of the component can be measured. The calibration method relies on measuring the Lifetime Decay (LTD) of the coating material, which can be directly corelated to the past maximum exposure temperature of the coating. SCS has developed a bespoke optical measurement system to perform these LTD measurements. It has more recently shown that additional spectral measurements can greatly enhance the temperature accuracy. Separate instrumentation for spectral measurements has been developed by SCS and is currently in use for commercial projects. However, the overall measurements process is now considerably longer and can also be subject to spatial inaccuracies, as each measurement point needs to be measured twice. The objective of this project is therefore to integrate the two measurement systems (LTD & Spectra) into one and perform the two measurements simultaneously. That would effectively reduce the measurement time by 50%, which can be several days for large industrial projects. Operational costs will also be reduced and measurement uncertainty due to spatial accuracy tolerances will be eliminated. For this project SCS is looking forward to collaborate with NPL and take advantage of their expertise and state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.

The objective of this project is to develop an on-engine high-resolution temperature mapping technique using continuum or 'snake' robot technology in combination with an advanced detection system. UK is the first country to sign legislation zero net carbon emissions by 2050\. Sustainable Aviation Fuels and advanced propulsion systems are in the forefront of these effort. Higher efficiencies can be achieved with higher firing temperature. Both pathways require the design of new more robust materials and cooling schemes to withstand the harsh thermal conditions. Hence a complete knowledge of temperature distributions within the engine will be essential for the design process of modern aircraft engines. Sensor Coating Systems (SCS) has developed a unique temperature mapping technology that enables OEMs to validate new designs in the aviation and power generation gas turbine industry. The technology uses a combination of temperature memory materials, advances in optical instrumentation and automation to generate digitised maps with hundreds and thousands of data points. Currently the measurements are conducted 'off-engine': the components are interrogated in a laboratory which requires the disassembly of the engine -- a costly and time-consuming exercise! With this project, SCS aims to significantly reduce the time and costs for design validation, by applying its unique thermal mapping technology 'on-engine', saving hundreds of working hours and thousands of pounds in running costs. Snake-robot technology will enable accessibility in components inside the engine, which is not possible at the moment, and an advanced optical system will enable both simultaneous luminescence and spectral measurements.

Sensor Coating Systems (SCS) provides a thermal mapping service to the power generation, jet propulsion, automotive and manufacturing industry. SCS has developed a measurement system consisting of three technical pillars: 1) Smart phosphorescent temperature memory coating 2) Tailored instrumentation 3) Fully automated robotic and digitisation system The system allows to provide high resolution thermal maps to be generated on CAD models of mission-critical components. These thermal maps enable designers to fine tune cooling arrangements and increase thermal efficiencies specifically in gas turbines. An enabling, unique technology highly valuable for the energy transition where hotter operating temperatures are needed to achieve net zero. **Context:** In a recent survey SCS established the importance of accurate temperature measurements for its clients specifically in power generation and aviation. SCS has developed this novel technology from scratch competing with traditional methods such as thermocouples, pyrometry, thermal paints and thermal crystals.SCS' technology has shown areas of higher uncertainties in specific temperature ranges using its traditional measurement approach. SCS tried to resolve this by changing the analysis method and analysing specific features of the optical spectrum of the coatings. This has shown great promise and made the technology more robust. However, the uncertainty of this novel approach can be unacceptably high at around 150°C-200°C in specific areas and needs to be brought to ±30°C. **Objective:** To this end, this project brings together SCS as technology owner, NEL as partner and machine learning expert, and UKAEA as subcontractor and spectral fitting expert to develop a computerised spectra analysis toolbox that identifies, fits and tracks changes in coating luminescence with exposure temperature. This will enable the reduction of uncertainty of the measurements to ±30°C across the temperature measurement range from 150°C - 1600°C, significantly improving the competitive advantage of the technology. **Impact:** SCS' technology has been utilised for temperature mapping services with clients in the US, Europe and Asia. SCS believes that a successful project delivering ±30°C uncertainty using the new spectral approach will accelerate the adoption of the technique worldwide in all sectors. SCS estimates that a successful project could double last year's turnover figure from £1.15m (2021). A recent large engine test in the US on 50 components has exposed all parts across a wide temperature range. 50% of components would have benefited from the proposed spectral analysis approach, making other competing technologies obsolete. Further, the number of 'early' adopters and clients will increase.

The project will develop a Thermal History Coating measurement instrumentation and procedure for accurate temperature profiling of components in the range 900°C to 1500°C in multi-cycle applications

**Motivation:** Decarbonisation and higher engine efficiencies are the main drivers for aircraft propulsion over the coming three decades. Higher efficiencies can be achieved with higher firing temperature. Net Zero Carbon flight will most likely utilise hydrogen based fuels. Both pathways require the design of new more robust materials and cooling schemes to withstand the harsh thermal conditions. Hence a complete knowledge of temperature distributions within the engine will be essential for the design process of modern aircraft engines. **Solution:** Sensor Coating Systems (SCS) currently provides an enabling temperature mapping technology which assists customers to validate new designs in the aviation and power generation gas turbine industry. The technology uses a combination of temperature memory materials, advances in optical instrumentation and automation to generate digitised maps with hundreds and thousands of data points. Currently the measurements are conducted 'off-engine': the components are interrogated in a laboratory which requires the disassembly of the engine -- a costly and time consuming exercise! **Project Objective:** Develop a fully functional snake-like robot prototype that will be tested in a laboratory environment using real engine components that will mimic an actual engine. The flexible prototype robot will be able to navigate inside the mock-up engine environment, approach a target surface and take measurements, similar to standard SCS measurement probe. The prototype should also make use of analytic models, visual and image processing tools, to calculate the spatial location of the measurement points based on the cartesian coordinates of the component’s 3D Cad model. **Benefits**: Not only will the new technology enable the engine manufacturer to realise a significant reduction of testing costs,, but the technology will also accelerate the development times for greener engine designs as the digitised data will be available more rapidly and will inform the designs of next generation engines. This will be crucial for the rapid deployment of hydrogen fuelled engines. **Consortium:** SCS and Queen Mary University London (QMUL), both situated in the east end of London, are forming a highly technical and culturally diverse team to deliver this project. QMUL will provide a wealth of world leading robotics expertise with advanced machine learning methods, whilst SCS has a deep understanding of the measurement technology, associated instrumentation, end-user requirements and existing customer base. **Commercialisation and job generation:** SCS provides a measurement service to its global client base, this project will enable the company to develop a new revenue stream based on technology licensing with appropriate technical support. QMUL and SCS will form closer links to support PhD or MSc students working on the technology and provide highly-skilled employment opportunities within SCS.

The project will develop a Thermal History Coating measurement instrumentation and procedure for accurate temperature profiling of components in the range 900°C to 1500°C in multi-cycle applications

no public description

"Sensor Coating Systems Ltd (SCS) are developing an innovative technology for measuring temperatures in harsh industrial applications, such as gas turbines. This is a unique technology for high value markets such as power generation and aerospace industries. The technology is based on a smart-memory material that has been developed by SCS and it is applied as a paint or a coating on the surface of the components to be measured. The coated components are then used in standard operation conditions where they exposed to high temperatures. After the process, once the components have cooldown, they are interrogated with a laser-probe instrument also developed by SCS. From the luminescence properties of the material and by performing a sophisticated calibration method, the past maximum temperature of the component can be measured. When the SCS coating material is exposed to high temperatures, its structural properties are permanently changed. These structural changes are correlated with the lifetime decay (LTD) of the luminescent signal that is emitted by the material when it is illuminated by an excitation source of appropriate wavelength. The LTD signal is then measured using a custom-made readout system developed by SCS before it is calibrated against temperature. A number of these devices have been built using the same modular approach, but it has been found that identical devices are sometimes produce different results. Recent efforts have been focused on homogenising all the measurement devices and make steps towards the standardisation of the SCS technology. During a previous Innovate-UK mini project, a standard light source that would help standardise instruments was developed in collaboration with National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Preliminary findings indicate strong non-linear behaviour of the highly sensitive detection device used in the SCS instrumentation. It is also observed that there are unit to unit differences that would also influence the measurement. In this project SCS and NPL will address these measurement challenges by looking both into hardware and software upgrades and aim towards achieving full standardisation of the measurement devices. The results will be incorporated in a unique uncertainty model to quantify the temperature measurement uncertainty which is extremely useful for end-user applications. By the end of this project it is anticipated to have at least two fully homogenised measurement devices which are going to be used in typical industrial applications in aerospace and power generation."

"Engineering components usually fail when the surface cannot adequately withstand the external forces or environment to which it is subjected. The choice of a surface material, with the appropriate thermal properties and sufficient resistance to wear, corrosion and degradation, is crucial to its functionality. Improving the functionality of an existing product is only one aim. The second is to develop a new class of reinforced coating materials with the aid of nanotechnology. This new coating system and application method can create opportunities for new products which could not otherwise exist. The primary target market of this project is the steel sector in the UK and abroad. More than 1.6 billion tonnes of steel are produced and used every year generating a market value of £300 billion. This project targets continuous casting products representing 25% of the global market. The main function of the mould is to establish a solidified steel shell that is sufficient in strength to contain the liquid metal core upon entry into the secondary spray cooling zone. The key challenge is how to provide a coating solution that can offer superior billet properties at high casting speeds (higher productivity-dynamic supply model), for a longer time and with consistent product quality throughout the steel production campaign. The steel producer, the user of these moulds, reports that the biggest issues, in terms of productivity and cost, are the high rate of wear and high temperature oxidation of the moulds. As an enabling technology, Surface Engineering has economic and societal impacts via reduction in capital investment, increased profitability, design changes, environmental benefits and technical innovation. The UK steel plants will benefit from the lower steel manufacturing costs and higher steel quality. The project will positively affect the steel supply chain such as recycling, energy and mining through increased productivity and will add value to downstream industries such as construction, mechanical equipment, automotive, metal products, shipbuilding and trains through steel product quality improvements and lower costs. Broader industry benefits are expected from the advancement of nanotechnology and this project, with its unique industry led views on nanotechnology use, will provide a significant contribution to a future UK Government Strategy. The secondary target market of this project is surface engineering for aggressive environments. The value of the UK coating market is approximately £21.3 billion, and those coatings critically affect products with a value greater than £143 billion."

"Sensor Coating Systems Ltd (SCS) has developed an innovative temperature measurement technology for harsh industrial applications. The technology is based on the luminescence properties of a special material that has been also developed by SCS. This material is applied as a paint or a coating on the surface of the parts to be measured and it is called Thermal History Paint (THP) or Thermal History Coating (THC) respectively. The coated components are then used in standard operation conditions where they exposed to high temperatures. By measuring the luminescence properties of the components and performing a sophisticated calibration method, the past maximum temperature of the component can be calculated. The principle behind the temperature measurement is that when the THP or THC material is exposed to high temperatures, its structural properties are permanently changed. These structural changes are correlated with the lifetime decay (LTD) of the luminescent signal that is emitted by the material when it is illuminated by an excitation source of appropriate wavelength. The LTD signal is then measured using a custom-made readout system developed by SCS before it is calibrated against temperature. The readout device consists of collimation optics, a photodetector, a data acquisition system and in-house developed software that is used to record and analyse the recorded signals. A number of these readout devices have been built using the same modular approach, but it has been found that identical devices are sometimes produce different results. Recent efforts have been focused on fully homogenise all the measurement devices and make steps towards the standardisation of the SCS technology. The objective of this project is to review the existing SCS measuring and signal processing system and develop a standard calibration device that could be used to homogenise all measurement devices. We are also aiming to identify and fully characterise measurement parameters in a quantitative way in order to improve the robustness and reduce the uncertainty of the measurement. Working closely with a leading measurement organisation with highly trained stuff and cutting-edge facilities such as NPL, will be greatly beneficial for SCS, as it will be introduced to the best measurement standards and practices. This project will be a great opportunity for SCS to fine-tune its measurement and analysis approach and further develop their technology towards a fully certified and commercial product."

The high demand for accurate thermal mapping of critical engine components during the design phase is in line with the continuous development of more efficient engines that need to meet ambitious emission reduction targets. Sensor Coatings Systems’ novel temperature sensor, which can provide component temperature mapping without data gaps and is REACH compliant, has been successfully demonstrated in several case studies with industrial partners in the IGT, jet engine and automotive sectors. This unique technology has the potential to provide full temperature maps of components in a few hours or days as opposed to a turnaround time of months with current technologies. The objective of this project is to develop an integrated system that provides automated temperature measurements on complex engineering components by directly interfacing CAD models provided by the customer. The system should be able to deliver in a few hours or days a temperature map attached to the CAD model by using the novel Thermal History Paint sensor currently developed by SCS. This system will respond to the current need of OEMs for rapid and accurate thermal profiling of critical hot components that can speed up design process and reduce costs.

Thermal management of components in the hot sections of jet engines is critical to the development of more efficient engines and thereby to the delivery of the industry's ambitious emissions reductions targets. To date there are no methods available providing component temperature mapping without data gaps, without REACH restrictions and without commercial restrictions.Furthermore Sensor Coating Systems has shown over the past 18 months a sigificant interest from the automotive industry using the new technology in low temperature regimes. Providing this facility would deliver game changing capability of significant commercial value to the industry and the facility provider. Sensor Coating Systems (SCS) aims to be that facility provider. SCS is developing thermal history sensors for use in extreme environments inside gas turbines and jet engines. This patented technology comprises sensors with memory that record the temperature to which they have been exposed so that it can be read out off-line. The objective of this project is to scale up the paint manufacturing and develop robust signal processing methodologies in combination with off-the-shelf automation equipment. This will establish a rapid surface temperature mapping technology that can be offered as a commercial measurement system or service for the aerospace, power generation, automotive, milling industry and in other industrial sectors.

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC) in combination with sophisticated cooling systems are crucial for the operation of highly efficient gas turbines. SCS proposes developing a new ‘self-healing’ thermal barrier coating enabling high frequency cycling at higher temperature and hence more efficient and sustainable operation of gas turbines for power generation. The increased cycling capability is a significant benefit of the technology as a future energy mix will contain high proportion of renewable energy which will be subject to rapid changes in supply. Eventually, this coating can be utilized beyond the power generation sector for other high temperature applications such as in automotive, oil and gas, rocket engines and obviously jet turbines. There are two immediate benefits of using a ‘self-healing’ coating. First, a decrease in operating costs and, secondly, an increase in sales opportunities into a market with growth perspectives.

The development of the Thermal History Paint, conceived and patented by SCS, is much needed in a wide range of industrial markets. The paint records temperature information by going through irreversible changes which can be detected non-destructively using specialised hand-held read-out equipment. The system, comprising the paint read-out device, has several fundamental and game changing advantages over the current state-of-the-art technology. This project will support the development of the technology to demonstration level so that it can be showcased to the identified market. Within the project, the paint will be shown to survive in the harsh environments in which it will likely be employed and an industrially suitable hand-held device will be constructed to perform reliable, accurate temperature measurements on complex components.

Temperature is an important physical property in many processes, spanning various industrial sectors. In particular, high temperatures (above 400°C) are common in industries such as chemical processing, power generation, aerospace, automotive and others. High temperatures are often necessary to attain process efficiency, generate power or to enable a chemical or physical process. Knowledge of the temperatures that surfaces are exposed to is crucial in many processes. On-line techniques, using thermocouples or pyrometry, allow the monitoring and recording of temperatures on-line, whilst a component is exposed to high temperatures. These techniques require access to surfaces of interest during operation, which is often not possible as some might be optically inaccessible or might require complex, costly and intrusive instrumentation. Data on the temperature might still be obtained by using off-line temperature measurement techniques, also called thermal history sensors, such that the temperatures can be retrieved after the exposure, at room temperature. Phosphorescent Thermal History Paint is a promising technology which would answer the needs of the market for advanced thermal history sensors for thermal mapping. Initial research & development of the technology was conducted via a PhD research contract with Imperial College London. The project led to a better understanding of the physics of the technology behind luminescent Thermal History Paints. Further, STS conducted a market survey leading to the conclusion that the technology is being needed. A logical follow-up is a proof-of-concept which will raise the technology readiness to premarket entry level. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the paint concept involving an established UK paint manufacturer and to develop associated readout equipment.